The Pacers’ fourth day of training camp brought a little clarity on a few fronts, and the biggest one is still the same: how Ivica Zubac fits into everything around Tyrese Haliburton.
That pairing has been the center of attention since camp opened, and after four practices, Zubac says the early signs are encouraging. He pointed to the way the starting group has already spent most of its time together.
“The starting unit has been together pretty much from day one,” Zubac said. “Probably going to spend most of time on the floor with him. Just being a point guard and a center it’s really important we get that chemistry.”
He also said the fit has gone beyond just Haliburton. Zubac sounded comfortable talking about the way the Pacers play and how naturally it has come to him so far.
“It’s been good, honestly with everyone on the team,” Zubac said. “It’s a team full of smart, high IQ basketball players and everyone knows how to play. Everyone makes quick decisions playing off of each other, so no matter who you put me on the floor with, it’s easy and it’s natural.”
And yes, the pace has been part of the adjustment. Zubac described how quickly possessions can fly by in this system, with the ball moving up the floor before he’s even had time to settle in.
“A lot o the possessions being the center, I’m the low man and I’m getting a rebound or taking the ball out of the net,” Zubac said. “Once I inbound it, they’re already out there and sometimes I don’t even cross half court.
All the movement, every player getting to feel and touch the ball every possession, it’s important. It’s not easy just standing around the whole possession, then you get a last second, shoot the ball, (situation).
So, everyone sharing the ball, catching the ball each possession, it gets you confidence. It’s really exciting.”
Lloyd Pierce, filling in for Rick Carlisle, spent part of his session talking about how the league has changed when it comes to two-way players. His view was pretty direct: those spots aren’t just for long-term projects anymore.
“I think we’re seeing a real shift in trends on the two-way spots,” Pierce said. “In the past the D-League and G-League was used completely for player development. Now you’re seeing a lot of teams get those three two-way spots and you’re getting NBA-experienced guys.”
Pierce also had strong words about Brown and Slawson, saying both have shown enough this summer to be treated like real roster pieces, not developmental fliers.
“When you walk into a gym you don’t look at Kobe and you don’t look at Slaw, you don’t say these are developmental players. These are roster guys that have NBA experience,” Pierce said.
“They add positional size, length and versatility to our roster. We’ve had our hands on them all summer in terms of development and both guys are gonna be needed at some point this season.”
Ben Sheppard’s situation is different, but the message around him was similar: stay ready and keep working. Entering the fourth and final year of his rookie contract, Sheppard is currently with the third unit and not in the ten-man rotation.
Still, he doesn’t sound rattled. Instead, he framed year four as another chance to do the simple things well and be prepared when his number is called.
“I played a lot of different roles last year, so just staying ready and being a good teammate,” Sheppard said. “Just being the player I am. Being aggressive, being ready whenever my name is called, and taking the best opportunities.”
Asked whether he feels like a veteran now, Sheppard smiled and said he still sees himself as young. Zubac, standing nearby, jumped in with his own assessment: “he’s not a vet, not yet.”
Pierce also mentioned the team’s squad scrimmage, which has become a yearly lead-in to Fan Jam. As usual, the gold team - the starters - came out ahead in practice, while the blue team has typically answered back in front of fans at the event.
That pattern gets another test tomorrow at the sold-out Fan Jam, where the Pacers will find out whether the gold team can finally stop the recent trend.
In Other News...
Ivica Zubac Is Quieting One Big Pacers Concern Fast
Ivica Zubac has wasted little time showing why the Pacers wanted him in the first place. Since arriving from the Clippers, he has looked steady in preseason action, giving Indiana the kind of physical presence it has been missing with work on the glass, solid screening and enough scoring to keep defenses honest. For a team trying to sort out roles and build around its core, that kind of dependable frontcourt play can settle a lot of early questions.
What stands out most is how naturally Zubac fits as a third option in the Pacers structure. He does not need the ball forced to him to make an impact, and his versatile style gives the offense another reliable layer without taking anything away from the main creators. Indiana still has bigger tests ahead, but early returns suggest one of its bigger preseason concerns may already be easing. [Read more 🡒]
Ben Sheppards Rough Night Still Said Something Important About His Pacers Role
Ben Sheppards box score against the Oklahoma City Thunder did not tell a pretty story. In 19 minutes, he missed all of his shots, finished without an assist and grabbed three rebounds, the sort of line that can make a quiet night look even quieter if you only glance at the numbers.
Still, the Pacers had reason to value what he brought anyway. Sheppard contributed defensively and finished plus-7 while on the floor, a reminder that his place in the rotation is tied less to scoring bursts and more to the kind of two-way, stopper-type minutes Indiana can lean on when it wants energy and discipline on that end of the court. [Read more 🡒]
Tyrese Haliburton Gave Pacers Fans An Early Reason To Believe
Tyrese Haliburtons return offered the kind of preseason reminder Pacers fans were probably looking for after he sat out the previous game. In Indianas third exhibition against Oklahoma City, a 114-112 overtime loss, Haliburton looked sharp enough to make the result feel secondary, scoring 24 points on 9-of-14 shooting while also contributing three assists, three rebounds and two blocks.
There were still some rough edges, including four turnovers, but the bigger takeaway was how comfortably he appeared to be running the offense again. The Pacers also got a strong night from Ivica Zubac, who posted 13 points, 13 rebounds, five assists and three steals in just 18 minutes, giving Indiana a few more encouraging signs even as the game slipped away late. [Read more 🡒]